Critic Reviews

Cataclysm is a must-have for fans of the original and new players alike. Gorgeous visuals, an easy-to-use interface, and a great storyline all combine to make it one of the most dangerously addictive games I’ve ever played. Barking Dog Studios took a great product and made it better, as Cataclysm not only raises the standard for sequels and expansions, but for the real-time strategy genre as a whole.

CATACLYSM plays very differently than HOMEWORLD does due to the combination of simple design enhancements, premise, and new ship types. There’s more
emphasis on preparedness. There are moments when
caution is called for, and moments when you have to react quickly. The game can turn on you in an instant,
as when a plot twist in an early mission caught me with an insufficient force. Simple design decisions demand more thoughtful, careful gameplay, and that ultimately makes for a more enjoyable experience, even it it those used to the original might find it frustrating
first. By setting a few new elements in motion, Barking Dog created a game that looks hack to the original while moving the entire
forward a bit further. Calf it what you will sequel, add-on, new episode. CATACLYSM is HOMEWORLD and then some.

Homeworld: Cataclysm is a worthy successor to the Homeworld crown. The changes that have been made all enhance and refine what the boys at Relic started. Barking Dog did a phenomenal job of finding HW’s weak spots and shoring them up with some inspired programming and writing. The story is intriguing, and pulls you in; the gameplay is stellar and the game itself is stable. If you like RTS or Space-based games, you owe it to yourself to pick up both HW and HW:C. Once you master the interface (not a big hurdle), you will find yourself immersed in a universe that is very hard to leave. Homeworld: Cataclysm is the best follow-up/sequel I have ever played, and it is a good thing that it is a stand-alone, because it does stand on its own achievements, not those of its predecessor.
What are you waiting for? Go get the game or download the Demo and start the fun now.

Sierra made a wise decision by releasing Cataclysm as stand-alone, and not as an official sequel or expansion-pack. The story is exciting and reminds of a novel. Replay value is enormous, because when you pass the single player campaign, you can switch to Skirmish mode or Multiplayer. Cataclysm is a good RTS 3D game, with plenty of elements that will thrill any seasoned game strategist, as well as a newbie to this genre.

The gameplay of the Homeworld series is now cemented as revolutionary. Games in the future will either draw upon this series as influence, or out and out steal its ideas. Homeworld and its sequel, Cataclysm, have done more for RTS than all others save perhaps Herzog Zwei and the PC Classic Dune 2000.

Homeworld was one of the best games of 1999 and in this one editor's opinion, the best RTS of that year by far. The game combined one of the best camera control systems with some of the best music, sound effects, models, and gameplay that you could hope for in a gaming experience. The atmosphere in the game was unforgettable and undeniably powerful. So when I heard that there was a stand-alone follow up game in the works, I was pretty darn excited. The fact that Barking Dog Studios was developing the game instead of Relic didn't matter to me because there was going to be another game in the same universe. But when all is said and done, did it end up mattering that a different group of guys was making the next Homeworld story? Not really. You can see the differences in style, but the game is still intact overall and is still a good bit of fun.

Homeworld:Cataclysm is an outstanding game and a worthy addition to the Homeworld series. As it does not require a copy of Homeworld to play, I recommend that both veteran Homeworld players and neophytes give it a look. Some of the hardcore multiplayer strategy fans may wish to wait until a balancing patch is out, but I wouldn't let that keep you from enjoying one of the best single-player RTS campaigns I've ever played.

If you like rts games you will absolutely love this game, its fun its fast its action packed and is loaded to the brim with options. The pluses far outweigh all the negatives of this game. So if you are looking for a great game to play this weekend then pick up Homeworld:Cataclysm, if your lookin for a pos game pick up barneys letter adventure or final fantasy 8.

There's very little to criticize here and if you liked Homeworld, you'll eat Cataclysm right up. The in-game cutscenes, once again, show events unfolding while you're constantly receiving new information on what tasks you need to complete and how to do it. Offering a story with small amounts of what makes a story good, from plot twists to suspenseful moments to the final climatic battle of biblical proportions, Cataclysm delivers fully.

Cataclysm shows what can happen when developers listen to the fans and make changes according to their suggestions and complaints. While the gameplay remains the same, the new features and improvements make Homeworld: Cataclysm even more enjoyable the original.

Suffice it to say, this game is not one to be passed up by RTS players or fans of the original Homeworld. Aside from a somewhat restrictive and linear single player campaign, there is little about Cataclysm that would turn you off from buying the game. Superb graphics, sound, cut-scenes, and abundant atmosphere combine to make Cataclysm a potential winner for the RTS game of the year.

Homeworld Cataclysm isn't a big, giant step forward from the original Homeworld. It does however keep the gameplay and enjoyment that made Homeworld such a great game, while continuing the story of the Kushan people. Cataclysm is a finely crafted strategy that can safely take its place as successor to one of the finest strategy games of all time.

Barking Dog has done what Hollywood dreams of doing – releasing a sequel that doesn’t suck. In fact, BD has done quite well here. Not only does Cataclysm not suck, it rocks. Prepare to drink a lot of caffeine and stay up much too late when you slam this baby in your drive for the first time. I found myself actally enjoying the training missions. By the time I was ready to enter the fray, I was a lean, mean Cataclysm playin’ machine. The graphics may leave a bit to be desired, but the cool plot and addictive gameplay more than make up for it. Let me ask you – Do you like saying, "Booya, Grandma. Booya?" Because if you do, run to the store and get Cataclysm. All of you Homeworld purists can rest easy. Gameplay has not been sacrificed for lame additions, and the plot has kept its original integrity.

Cataclysm is fun, intriguing, wonderful to look at and challenging. This program is a nice supplement for fans of the original, and a great introduction to the genre for anyone who has thought about playing this type of program, but hasn’t before.

Cataclysm is very definitely worthwhile if you enjoyed the original, or if you have not played it and think you might be interested in this unique style of real-time strategy game. If, on the other hand, you were not a fan of the first game, then Cataclysm probably does not offer anything sufficiently different to warrant attention.

Homeworld fans won’t kick themselves for picking this game up, but I have to recommend the original over Cataclysm. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – online is important, but the single-player experience remains every bit as significant for PC gamers, especially now that the Web has been overrun by the very people we play games to avoid in the first place.